Cotton-picking machine



April 25, 1950 J. D. RUST cow'rou rxcxmc MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. \Ehn .U. Rust,

Filed Feb. 24, 1947 ATTORNEY- April 25, 1950 J. D. RUST 2,505,143

COTTON PICKING MACHINE Filed Feb. 24, 1947 e Sheets-Sheet :5

i v auvmvroa, Jahn D- Rust,

ATTORNEY.

April 25, 1950 J. o. RUST COTTON PICKING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 24, 1947 ATTORNEY.-

Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COTTON-PICKING MACHINE John D. Rust, Memphis, Tenn.

Application February 24, 1947, Serial No. 730,437

17 Claims.

The present invention relates particularly to cotton picking machines of the Rust type although it is not restricted to use on those machines.

More specifically the present invention relates to the mechanism of a cotton picking machine for stripping and delivering cotton from the picking spindles.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for stripping cotton from the spindles.

Another object is to provide a hinged suction nozzle for improving the cotton delivery system.

Another object is to provide .a mechanism which will be actuated by the hinged nozzle to stop the picking machinery and the forward motion of the tractor in the event the cotton delivery system fails.

A further object is to provide a combined stripping and suction cotton delivery system designed to take full advantage of the air current in delivering the cotton from the stripper.

Invention further resides in the novel details of construction, combinations and arrange-- ments of parts all of which will first be fully described hereinafter and then be pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a Rust Cotton Picker embodying an important part of my present invention, parts being broken away and the suction duct uptake portions being shown in section.

Fig. 2 isa'side elevation of the same on a reduced scale, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3' is an elevation of the inner side of the combined door and pivoted wall of the nozzle.

Fig. 4is a detail elevation (looking in the direction of the arrow a in Fig. 1) of the stripper device that constitutes a'fi'xed wall of the nozzle.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of stripper mechanism post and its ribs.

Fig. 6;is a detail elevation of one of the stripper bar holders or clamp members.

Fig. '7 is an edgewise view of one of the stripper bar holding straps or clamp members.

Fig. 8 is a detail elevation of a stripper bar.

Fig. 9 is an edgewise view of a stripper bar.

Fig; 10 is a diagram of a motor ignition grounding circuit operable by the movement of the movable wall of the nozzle.

Fig. 11 is a schematic view of a device for disengaging the tractor clutch operable bythe move ment of the movable wall of the nozzle. Fig. 12 is a schematic view of a solenoid or coil and plunger device for cutting off the fuel supply from the tractor motor and operable by the movement of the movable wall of the nozzle.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the modified form of the combined door and pivoted wall of the nozzle.

Fig. 15 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the same modification.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing a modification.

Fig. 17 is a cross section on the line lI-l'l of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 16 of a further modification.

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 20 is a detailed elevation of a spindle stripping means hereinafter specifically referred In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures,- I

represents the main frame of the machine, I longitudinal bars and l cross bars of the frame.

2 designates a sprocket of the endless slatted conveyor 3 while 4 designates the spindles carrier by the slats of the conveyor, 5 the covers of the machine and 6 indicates the conveyor shaft that carries the sprocket4. All the foregoing parts are well known parts of a Rust type machine.

Adjustably secured to cross bars I as at 8, are top and bottom plates 1 (the top plate only being shown). Welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the plates 1 is a post 9 having parallel ribs l0 spaced horizontally apart suitable dismeans of stripper bar holders l5, stripperbars I! which act to strip the cotton from the spindles. Deflector blades l3 (see Figs. 6 and 7) cooperate with the stripper bars I2 in delivering the cotton to the suction chamber. The blades l3 are held in place on the stripper bar holders l5 by rivets 34.

ribs l and holes ii in the holders l5.

acoaiss The parts are secured together by screws 32 (see Fig. i) that pass into the holes ii in the The stripper bar holders 15 are provided with holes I6 to provide an opening for adjusting the stripper bars to take up wear. The clamping screws are loosened and a screw driver is inserted through the hole and twisted to pry the bars apart. i"

One edge (preferably the top edge) of the extended end of each deflector blade I3 is beveled or inclined as at I4 to prevent the cotton being retained by the said ends after the spindles have been withdrawn. 0n the opposite end of the stripper bar holding strap I5 is secured which serves to guide the spindles into the proper path as they enter the stripping mechanism.

v a tapered element 33 (see Figs. 1, 4, 6 and 7) I8 indicates a spindle-engaging post of sultable material (wood, fiber, etc., for example) against which the ends of the spindles engage to cause the spindles to lean backward at the proper angle for engaging the stripper mechanism. The post I8 is secured to the frame bars I by being mounted between upper and lower brackets 19 (upper bracket only being shown).

Secured to the bar [8 but electrically insulated thereby is a contact arm 35 that is electrically connected with the ignition circuit of the tractor motor (not shown) as will later more fully appear.

Located between the post 9 and the outer wall or side plate 24 of the machine is a fixed vertical wall 20 which forms a part of the suction duct 23 through which the cotton is withdrawn from the nozzle chamber.

The bottom of the nozzle chamber is formed by a fioor plate 2| having a downwardly inclined lip 22 (Figs. 1 and 2).

The lip 22 is provided to facilitate closing the door 25 after it shall have been swung out for access to the stripper. In closing the door the lower edge of wall 26 will ride up on lip 22 to rest on the fioor 2|.

The movable wall 26 of the suction nozzle is carried by a door 25 which has a hinge element 21 to receive the hinge pin or rod 28 that passes through apertures in the frame I (Figs. 1 and 2) The door 25 fits fiat against the side of the frame (see dotted lines Fig. 1) and the wall 26 is bowed inwardly to close the space between the post l8 and the extended portion 20 of the wall 20 (Fig. 1), when the door is closed. The door is yieldingly held closed by means of a spring arm which carries a slotted latch member 3! that engages a pin 29 on the wall 26. The arm 30 is extended to lie close to the contact arm so that it will contact said arm 35 when the wall 26 is forced outwardly (in the direction of arrow b, Fig. 1) due to a clogging of the nozzle. The top side of the nozzle consists of a fiat plate 5* bolted to lugs 5 at the top of wall 26 (see dotted lines Fig. 2 and full lines Fig. 3), completing the four sides (stripper comb III-44, wall 26, bottom plate 2|, and top plate 5) of the suction nozzle.

As diagrammatically shown in Fig. 10 the arm 35 is electrically connected at to the ignition circuit 38 of the power source (tractor motor), such circuit including a battery such as 36 or a magneto, spark plug 39 and ignition switch 31. When the circuit is shorted, the ignition system becomes short circuited and the motor stops.

In Fig. 11 is diagrammatically shown an alternative mechanism for stopping the tractor in the event of failure of the delivery system. When spring arm 30 contacts arm 35, motor 4| is elec- 4. trically started by the battery 36. Through gears 42 and 43, the motor turns the drum 44 which winds up cable 45 which will disengage the clutch of the tractor by depressing clutch pedal 41 by means of the connecting link 46 which is pivotally secured to the clutch pedal at one end and to the cable 45 at the other. The clutch is held in disengagement by lug 48 being looked over the'lug 49. Lug 48- also engages insulation block 50 and opens the electrical circuit by pressing spring arm 5| away from contact point '52. This stops the electric motor. Extension spring 53 holds arm 46 in locked position until it is released by the operator. The support lug 55 prevents arm 46 from dropping too low for engaging lock lug 49 when the motor 42 starts running to disengage the clutch. In order to get the machine started again, the operator cleans out the suction nozzle and releases spring arm 30 which breaks the contact with arm 35, then presses the clutch pedal 41 and pulls on arm 54 to release the locking Mg 48.

Now the machine is ready for operation again. The dotted lines indicate the normal position of the various parts of the mechanism.

In Fig. 12 is shown a diagrammatic view of a thirdmethod of stopping the tractor in case of failure of the cotton delivery system. With this mechanism, when spring arm 30 closes the electrical circuit at arm 35, the solenoid coil 56 i5 magnetized and plunger 51 is drawn into the coil. The plunger is attached to the throttle lever 58 so that the throttle will be closed when plunger 51 moves into the coil 56. Thus the engine will b stopped for lack of fuel.

In Figs. 18, 14 and 15 is shown a modification of the invention in which a baflie plate 59 is shown attached to the innermost place on the wall 26 and extends approximately parallel to the adjacent portion of the path of travel of the ends of th spindles to a place adjacent the stripper bars, thereby narrowing the opening through which air can be drawn and confining the suction largely to the place where the mechanical stripping action has been completed and where, xperience in the r field has shown, the clearing of the cotton from the spindles and stripper bars is most complete. The air will be drawn with considerable force through the spaces S between the ribs I0 as indicated by the arrow 0 in Fig. 13.

In Figs. 16 and 17 is shown a leaf spring 6| held between the stripper bars l2 which spring continuously tends to force the bars 12 apart and to keep them in contact with the spindles, thus automatically compensating for the wear on the stripper bars and the spindles.

The entrant nds of the stripper bars l2 are preferably bevelled as at 62 to facilitate the entrance of the spindles between the bars l2.

In Fig. 18 I have shown a further modification in which two curved leaf springs iii are secured back to back by a rivet 53 and located between a pair of bars l2.

Spacers 60 are inserted between the bars l2 and between the ribs [0 and stripper bar holders iii to provide working clearance for the leaf springs and stripper bars. The screws 32 pass through the spacers 60.

The stripper bars are held in position against longitudinal movement by deflector plate 14 and tapered element 33.

In Figs. 19 and 20 is shown a further embodimentof my invention.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 it was found that it was possible for a piece of cotton, grass or the like to hang onto the spindle and be pulled cracks of the stripper comb at the place where the angle bars join the vertical supporting bar or tube. This deficiency is in part overcome by the The ribs In at the ends which are welded to the vertical support 9, contact one another and are provided with rectangular openings S providing a vertical edge A. It will be seen by reference to Fig. 19 that the spindle B has passed the dividing edge A. The bulk of the cotton C gathered by that spindle was stripped from the spindle by the stripper bars and was held by the deflecting elements I. Should a small strand of cotton cling to the spindle B it will be pulled in two at edge A by the forward movement of the spindle. The cotton so held by the deflecting elements is now free to be drawn into the suction by the air current, the path of which is indicated by arrows in Fig. 19. r

The square notch S cut out of the stripper bar scrvesthe double purpose of providing an. opening through which the air is drawn by the suction fan which draws the cotton from the ends of the deflectors 14 and to prevent clogging of the stripper comb, as has just above been described.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 19 and 20 I mount the ballie plate 59 on a thin springy sheet metal plate 64 which. plate is secured to the door wall 26. As the plate 64 is springy it will permit the wall 59 to yield and be deflected bythe air current in case the cotton is being stripped from the spindles in such heavy volume as to unduly restrict the passage of air I between the baflle plate and the stripper bars.

In other words it serves to automatically provide for a constant volume of air intake.

The whole combination of parts disclosed in Figs. 19 and 20 is designed to take full advantage of the direction of the air current to deliver the cotton from the stripper. Further the suction nozzle and baflle plate are designed to control the volume and concentration of air intake at the points desired.

Other modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing disclosure, and I do not wish to be limited to the specific structures shown and described except as specifically recited in the appended claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my application filed October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,- 387, now abandoned. I

No claim is made in this application to the stripping means per se disclosed in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive and in Figs. 16, 17, 18, and 20, the claims to which have been divided out of this application.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is thought the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in'the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a tractor powered cotton picking machine having an ignition system and wherein an endless slatted conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping device, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device, and another wall opposite the stripping device is yieldable under influence oi nozzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for grounding the ignition system of the tractor ulpon the clogging of the nozzle, to stop the mac inc.

2. In acotton picking machine, wherein an endless spindle-carrying conveyor and a spindlestripping device is employed, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle for carrying of! the stripped cotton, said nozzle having top and bottom walls and fixed walls one of which comprises said spindle-stripping device and a hinged wall opposite said spindle-stripping device and means yieldably holding said hinged wall in one position. I

3. In a cotton picking machine, wherein an endless spindle-carrying conveyor. and a spindlestripping device is employed, the improvement which comprises a. suction nozzle for carrying off the stripped cotton, said nozzle having top and bottom walls and fixed walls one of which comprises said spindle-stripping device and a hinged wall and means yieldably holding said hinged wall in one position. I

7 4. In a cotton picking machine, wherein an endless spindle-carryingconveyor and a, spindlestripping device is employed, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle for carrying oil the stripped cotton, said nozzle having top and bottom walls and fixed walls one of which comprises said spindle-stripping device and a hinged wall and means yieldably holding said hinged wall in one position, said means comprising a pin on said hinged wall, and a spring arm latch engaging said pin.

5. In a cotton picking machine wherein an endless spindle-carrying conveyor and spindlestripping means are employed, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one vertical wall of which is constituted by said spindle-stripping means and another vertical wall of which is constituted by a movable wall carried by a hinged door, and which nozzle has a top wall and a floor over which the movable wall has movement, and yieldable means holding saidv door closed, and means operable by the movement of said'movable wall outwardly for closing an electric circuit.

6. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said door holding means includes a spring arm having a latch member and wherein said movable wall has a latch member for cooperatively engaging with the first mentioned latch member.

'7. In a tractor powered cotton picking machine having an ignition system and wherein an endless slatted conveyor carries picking spindles through a stripping device which includes a plurality of stationary stripping elements positioned diagonally across the path of the spindles and forming'cracks of uniform width through which the spindles pass for stripping the cotton from the spindles, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device and. another wall opposite the stripping. device which is yieldable under influence Of nozzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for grounding the ignition system of the tractor to stop the machine in case of clogging of the nozzle.

8. In a tractor powered cotton picking machine wherein an endless slated conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping device, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device, and another wall opposite the stripping device which is yieldable under influence of nozzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for closing a circuit to stop the machine in the event the suction nozzle becomes clogged. Y

9. In a cotton picker, a plurality of traveling elements, pivoted slats carried by said elements, spindles having uniform diameter rotatably mounted in the slats, a plurality of stationary stripping bars held in position by holding straps and positioned diagonally across the path of the spindles and forming cracks of uniform width through which the spindles pass for stripping the cotton from said spindles, the improvement which comprises cotton deflecting elements positioned at the outer side of the stripper bars secured to the front end of the stripper bar holding straps and extended beyond the delivering end of the stripper bars and'having outwardly tapered openings to prevent the clogging of cotton in the cracks, and a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device, and another wall opposite the stripping device which is yieldable under influence of nozzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for closing a circuit to stop the marchine in the event the suction nozzle becomes clogged.

10. In a tractor powered cotton picking machine wherein an endless slatted conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping device, the improvement which includes a yieldable member opposite the stripping device and means controlled by said yieldable member for cutting ofi the supply of fuel to the tractor ries picking spindles through a' suitable stripping device, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device, and another wall opposite the stripping device is yieldable under influence of nozzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for disengaging the clutch of the tractor to stop the machine in case of clogging of the suction nozzle.

13. In a tractor powered cotton picking machine wherein an endless slatted conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping device, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device, and another wall opposite the stripping device is yieldable under influence of nwzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for cutting oil the supply of fuel to the tractor motor to stop the machine in case of clogging of the nozzle.

14. In a tractor powered cotton picking machine wherein an endless slatted conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping device, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said stripping device, and another wall opposite the stripping device is yieldable under influence of nozzle-clogging material, and means controlled by said yieldable wall for disengaging the clutch of the tractor to stop the machine in case of clogging of the suction nozzle, and wherein means is carried by said hinged wall for restricting the entrance of air to the place where the spindleistripping device is about to terminate its funcion.

15. In a cotton picking machine wherein an endless conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping comb, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said comb and another wall opposite said comb is pivotally mounted, a yieldable baffle plate mounted adjacent the entrant end of said comb beyond the path of the spindle ends and adjacent the inner extremity of said pivoted wall.

16. In a cotton picking machine wherein an endless conveyor carries picking spindles through a suitable stripping comb, the improvement which comprises a suction nozzle one wall of which is constituted by said comb and another wall opposite said comb is pivotally mounted, a yieldable baille plate mounted adjacent the entrant end of said comb beyond the path of the spindle ends and adjacent the inner extremity of said pivoted wall, and secured to said pivoted wall.

17. In a cotton picking machine of the type employing an endless conveyor carrying parallel rows of spindles and provided with means for stripping the cotton from the spindles: a means for removing cotton from the spindles which includes a stripping comb disposed at an angle to the path of travel of the conveyor and through which the spindles are drawn to strip them of cotton, said comb comprising superimposed ribs secured on a common support and provided with spindle passes terminating in rectangular enlarged openings at the operative ends of said passes, stripper bars on said ribs for engaging the spindles in the passes, stripper-bar holders mounted on said ribs and having deflector ends adjacent and diverging from said enlarged opening's, said comb constituting one wall of a suction nozzle, said suction nozzle including a second wall oppositesaid comb, a yieldable baille plate at the entrant end of the nozzle, a fixed bottom and a top closure, said walls, a bafile and said bottom and top closure constituting a receiver for the stripped cotton, and a suction duct leading from said receiver.

JOHN D. RUST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,367,147 Keckler Feb. ,1, 1921 1,759,086 Berry May 20, 1930 1,855,838 Kranick Apr. 26, 1932 2,058,514 Rust et a1. Oct. 27, 1936 

